da leao： Matthew Walker hit a gritty century and Martin van Jaarsveld a valuable fifty to save Kent’s blushes on the second day against Middlesex at Lord’s
Will Luke28-Apr-2006
ScorecardMatthew Walker hit a gritty century and Martin van Jaarsveld a valuable fifty to saveKent’s blushes on the second day against Middlesex at Lord’s. Much asMiddlesex’s batsmen were indebted to Joyce yesterday, Kent’s inningsrevolved around Walker who, van Jaarsveld apart, defied thebowler-friendly conditions and edged his side up towardrespectability.Before Walker constructed his salvage act, it was to van Jaarsveld whoKent turned. He was in action as early as the third over when his captain,Robert Key, was trapped in front by Chris Silverwood. With the ballmoving around through the air, on a pitch still showing a greenishtinge, van Jaarsveld showed great class in the morning session.Demonstrating a solid technique, and moreover an unflappabletemperament, he was particularly quick to punish anything short,driving handsomely through the covers and cutting hard past point. Hewas joined by Walker who scratched around unconvincingly for nearly 40minutes before settling into a composed, determined innings. Together,the pair put on a face-saving partnership of 76 – but it ought not tohave ended so soon.van Jaarsveld had already been gifted two lives – he was dropped byBen Hutton at slip from Wright’s second ball so perhaps his luck hadrun out, but he had only himself to blame for the limp pull whichbrought about his demise. A mini-collapse ensued: Darren Stevens -such a gifted batsman – caressed three boundaries in a typicallyelegant but all too brief 15 before falling to Johan Louw. And whenJustin Kemp, Kent’s overseas destroyer-in-chief, prodded meekly atJamie Dalrymple’s off-spinners, Kent were wobbling on 184 for 5.Walker was defiant, however, bringing up his fifty with a gloriouslytimed cut in front of point. He was severe on anything short and, inthe final session, opened his shoulders when all around him werefalling like flies: the last seven batsmen offered just 57 runs. Theimpressive Louw, in an attempt to unsettle him, produced atantalising bouncer which Walker swung over deep square leg,emphatically, to bring up his 14th first-class hundred.Kent were in deep trouble earlier in the day though as, led bySilverwood, Middlesex’s bowlers used the murky overcast conditions togreat effect. Looking strong at the crease and bowling from thePavilion end for his new county, Silverwood produced disconcertinglift from an otherwise benign pitch – as he so often did forYorkshire, if not England. He isn’t the luckiest of bowlers, though;after David Fulton edged him through gully for the second time, hechastised himself at fine leg, chuntering away like many a Middlesexbowler has done in the past. Clearly he is settled in well.Partnering Silverwood from the nursery end, Chris Wright, 20, showedgreat promise in his spells before and after lunch. His flat-footed,gentle and ambling approach to the crease proved deceptive, however -most of all to the right-handers. With prodigious outswing and many ofhis deliveries climbing just past the outside edge, he was unfortunatenot to end up with a clutch of wickets.Although the slate-grey skies benefited the seamers – most of whomused the conditions to good effect – Dalrymple bowled cleverlyand fully deserved each of his three wickets. Having put down a simplechance at slip earlier in the day, Hutton took a fine catch to end MinPatel’s innings to hand Dalrymple his second wicket. Amjad Khan, whowith Walker put on 44, became Dalrymple’s third victim and all of asudden, Walker was left stranded. He finally fell for a superb 123,gifting Joyce a simple catch which gave Mohammad Ali – who bowled withaggression all day – his second wicket.Though Kent fell short of Middlesex’s 333 by 25 runs, they struck animmediate blow when the home side began their second innings. Khanfound the edge of Ed Smith’s bat and van Jaarsveld made up for hisweak dismissal earlier in the day to take an excellent catch at secondslip, to leave Middlesex 11 for 1 when bad light brought an end to theday’s play